The Silence is deafening… does anyone care?

Yesterday, (February 10, 2016) we had four Law Enforcement Officers killed in the United States. However unless you view police related web pages it seems these deaths never happened. The top headlines on local news outlets deal with the Oregon standoff surrender and New Hampshire voters. I had to dig to find a mention of these office’s deaths.

Two deputies were killed in the same event at a restaurant. One other deputy was shot a few days ago and has been on life support, the family made the gut-wrenching decision to donate his organs. The fourth LEO was killed in a plane crash.

On pro-police and various public safety pages, these stories are all over. Yet in the mainstream media, other topics are more important. The silence is deafening.

At the gym, I chatted up some civilian friends. None of them knew about the deputy being taking off life support. As for restaurant shootings they seemed to know something happened at a Panera but did not know the details. I did not even ask about the plane crash…

Sometimes on days like this, it seems the “Average Joe” does not care about us. Oh sure my civilian pals care about me as a person. However, my profession is not something that enters their mind, unless they need to call for one of us.

Then I opened my email. Someone had sent me a video (embedded below). It turns out yes people do care.

So to my brothers and sisters in blue (or sheriff brown) remember… Sometimes it feels like no one would notice if you were not around. Know this, if you were to vanish it would leave a major hole in your community, one that yes the “Average Joe” would feel as a loss.

We don’t do what we do for praise or glory. We do it because it is a calling… So keep doing the good work you do, and please make it home at the end of your shifts!